Officially Summer

Yep. It's official. We're on summer break. 

Today was Ethan's first day at camp. He's moved into the 18-month room which means no more cribs for naps. My little big boy napped on a cot today for the very first time.

I got to have a little personal time while Ethan was having a ball at camp. I started my Couch-to-10K workout program with these brand new running shoes. I went home by myself. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've been home alone. I showered, made some salads for the week, organized some cabinets in the kitchen and ate lunch. I also got finish my first big-person book of the summer - Inferno, by Dan Brown. (FYI, this book wasn't as good as his others, but it was still a good read.)

After I picked Ethan up from camp - at the normal pick-up time, mind you - we went on a long walk and played outside a little bit.  We had a great dinner. Even Ethan got adventurous and tried some new foods on his plate! (By the way, I've decided to dedicate the summer to making new and different foods for Ethan to try to see if I can't get him to eat a larger variety of foods. I'll blog about this soon.)

A nice, warm bath, complete with play time and some stories capped off Ethan's night. He's now sound asleep and I'm sitting on the couch with absolutely no grading to do. Who knows...I might even start reading my next book!

First Haircut

We've been toying around with cutting Ethan's crazy curls for the last few weeks. If he were a girl, he'd have the start of a nice ponytail. On Friday night, we were out getting frozen yogurt, and noticed that the Cookie Cutters next door was still open and had no wait, so we decided it was time for Ethan's first haircut.

He looks like a little boy now, no longer a baby. He was an angel in the chair (since he got to watch a little Elmo during the process) and really loved climbing on the indoor jungle gym.

16-Months (and 15, too)

As you can tell, we've been rather busy in our neck of the woods. So busy, that I forgot to do Ethan's 15-Month post. Oops. 

Without further ado, his 16-Month update!

What Ethan's Doing...

• Running - Like, for real.
• Talking - He says "dog", "more", "all done", "no", "up", "down", "night-night", and we think "mommy" and "daddy". 
• Climbing - He learned how to get himself on to the couch. Now we're working on sitting on the couch only.
• Clinging - Ethan is very attached to Mommy. He doesn't even like it if I run to the restroom...even when Kevin is still in the room with him.
• Reading - Still his favorite past time. He really enjoys books with animals and any book by Karen Katz.
• Teething - Endlessly. He got one back bottom right tooth, and one back top right tooth. They looked like they hurt!
• Growing out of ALL 12-month clothing. I'm working on putting them away.
• Eating...sometimes. Apparently, he eats everything at school and saves his pickiness for home.
• Loving that darn bottle. Any advice for how to wean him off of it???
• Throwing tantrums...fun, fun, especially in public.
• Sitting in a booster chair...no more high chair!
• Commandeering electronics - He doesn't discriminate! He loves iPhones, computers, tablets, remotes, everything. As you can see, we had to bribe him with my iPhone so he'd pose for pictures!

14 Months

Happy {belated} 14 Months, to our Little Prince! He definitely rules this castle {and our hearts}, that's for sure. It's so true, that the more he grows, the more our affection for him grows.

What Ethan's Doing...

• Running - In a wobbly kind of way!
• Communicating - Turns out "dada" is code for "I want that." He's realized if he points to something and says "dada", he can get what he wants...within reason.
• Stacking - We noticed that Ethan enjoys playing with toys that he can stack.
• Reading - Hands down, this is his favorite activity. He will sit amongst his books for 15 minutes at a time. I love when he brings books to us to read to him.
• Riding - He gets on his lion rider and rideable car...he's can move himself backwards. We're working on forward.
• Teething - After a four-month hiatus, he is finally getting another tooth. This one is coming in on the bottom.
• Giving kisses - Only when he feels like it, of course!
• Still wearing 12-18 month clothing. Still a beanstalk.
• Giving foods another chance. Like sweet potato fries, peas, and corn. Yay!!
• Refusing to drink milk out of anything but a bottle.
• Dance, dance, dancing. I'll have to post video of this soon!
• Fighting diaper changes. You practically have to wrestle him to the ground, endure his whining/crying, and give him a jillion and one toys to play with in order to change him. 
• Raising his hands over his head when we say "up". He's not quite sure about "down" yet...it's not as much fun.
• Kicking a double ear infection's butt! He was such a great patient, and took his medicine down like a champ. His sleep was barely interrupted as well.

2012 ~ Our Year in Review

2012. 

As I look back at this year, I realize how much life has changed, and how far we've come. Here's a look back at our year....

13 Months

I decided that I'd change the format for Ethan's monthly posts...since he's such a big boy!

Happy 13 Months, little man! It's still hard to believe that we are the parents of a one-year old. Our little explorer enjoys learning about the world around him, so he's keeping himself {and us} very busy. 

What Ethan's Doing...

• WALKING! A little wobbly, but definitely walking. This means he's officially a toddler {sniff, sniff}.
• Organizing - Ethan is very interested in dumping things out, and then putting them back in. He's so my kid.
• Making us laugh - Ethan makes silly faces. Our favorite, called the "Squeeze Face" always cracks us up, and he knows it. 
• Playing with "Little People". These are Ethan's new it toy. He especially likes the farm animals and pushing the buttons on the vehicles over and over.
• Talking...sort of. He's obsessed with the syllable "Da". Everything is "Dada"...Tobi, Kevin, me, toys, everything.
• Picky eating. Things that he used to like, he won't touch. Like cheese. And sweet potato fries. He has an affinity for baked beans, grilled cheese, and anything in a pouch, which is lucky for us, since it's really the only way he's been getting his veggies!
• Drinking milk like a champ! We've successfully transitioned to whole milk. We have to heat it up, and he still gets it in a bottle, but we're thrilled he's actually drinking cow's milk! We'll work on the other stuff soon.
• Wearing 12-18 month clothing. He can still fit into some 9-12 month stuff, but not much. He's so tall and lanky that he has to wear 12-18 month clothing for length, but they tend to look  and feel a little baggy on him, since he's not quite there with his weight. It's a good problem to have, I suppose.

Turkey Trotting

Just in time for his 13-Month Birthday...

Happy 1-Year Birthday, Ethan!

You know what they say, Better late than never. It's the official one-year birthday post. I can't believe I'm actually the mother of a one-year-old. Sometimes I tell myself that I'm the mother of a 12-month old, just to make him seem smaller...but the facts are the facts. My baby is ONE. 
Stats: At the doctor, Ethan weighed 20 pounds, 12 ounces. They say that kids are supposed to triple their birth weight by their first birthday, and we've definitely done that. His weight puts him in the 25th percentile for weight. His height, well, that's another story. He is 32 inches long (or tall? at what point do you convert from calling it length to height?). He is in the 95th percentile for that! Ethan got three shots this time, since we opted to get the flu shot. He handled it as well as any baby who gets stabbed with three different needles. He cried. But, he did calm down quickly, and had no reaction to any of the shots. Yay! Ethan now has four top teeth and two bottom teeth. We think he may be cutting some more teeth, since all the signs are there, but we're still waiting for it to make an appearance.

Likes: Ethan loves playing with his shoes and socks. We put him in the car with both shoes and socks on, and usually by the time we arrive at our destination, he has taken at least one shoe, if not both shoes and socks, off his feet. This, I must say, is slightly annoying, as he fusses and cries when he has trouble removing them. Ethan loves anything with buttons, or things he can push around. His favorite toys are the ones he can make "work". His new favorite meal is quesadillas with cheese and sweet potatoes. He'll even eat that in leftover form! 

Dislikes: Ethan hates being told "no". He wants to get into things and make them "work", so it bugs him when we say "no", or our new favorite, "hands off". We oftentimes have to remove his hand from things he shouldn't touch (like the dog's water bowl), and he gets pretty annoyed at that.

Tricks: This list continues to grow and grow. Ethan is quite the little comedian. He likes to flirt and make silly faces so that we will laugh at him. He cracks himself up when he sees that he's gotten a reaction out of us. Ethan also bounces up and down and shakes his booty when you sing, "Dance, dance, dance". Very cute to watch. We've noticed that Ethan is standing on his own. I can tell that he is toying with the idea of taking a step or two, but he just isn't quite there yet. We think he'll be walking by the time I write his 13-month post! Finally, Ethan likes to feed himself his big boy Gerber Grabbers (and other puree pouches). He's getting so independent with his eating, which is so neat to see.

Mom: Things are still going well for me. Now that his birthday party is over, I feel like I've got some more free time on my hands on the home front. I feel very content with where I am right now in my life, as a working mommy. I am very much looking forward to the holiday season this year, and spending it with all of our loved ones. 

Happy 11-Month Birthday, Ethan!

So...I'm a little late. I don't know if you've heard {or not heard, since I haven't been blogging}, but we've been a bit busy around here. Anyway, here it is...Ethan's update.

Stats: Again, no doctor's appointment, so no official stats. I would guess Ethan is still somewhere around 20 or 21 pounds. His length is off the charts, and we constantly hear comments about how tall he is! Something we can add to this section is all the teeth that Ethan has sprouted! Last month, he had one tooth, and he was cutting his second. Now, he's got both front bottom teeth, and he is cutting three more on the top! He's become a drool monster, due to all this teething. He has been handling it like a champ, and except for a few interrupted naps, and refusal to eat very much, he's his normal, happy self.

Likes: Unfortunately for us, Ethan's has some new favorite "toys": door handles, toilet paper rolls, electrical cords, drawer and cabinet pulls, and Tobi's water bowl. It's very difficult to get things done when you are chasing a baby around, trying to get him to stay away from his favorite things. Ethan enjoys playing with his new piano toy, and lion walker as well. I'm happy to report that Ethan enjoys some finger foods. On the acceptable list of table foods: grapes, peaches, strawberries, grilled cheese, Nutella and bread, goldfish crackers, graham crackers, pancakes, waffles, and cheese cubes. He will sometimes eat baked beans, black beans, carrots, peas, corn, ravioli, and macaroni and cheese.

Dislikes: One thing Ethan dislikes, is having Kevin or me stick food in his mouth. He will usually only take yogurt or applesauce from us. He has even started to reject pureed food at times. He is becoming very independent in his eating, which is what we wanted, but now he'll only eat what he wants, and not necessarily what we want.

Tricks: Ethan is definitely on the move. He is crawling like crazy, and cruising along tables and couches. He loves pushing his lion walker around the house. He is beginning to get the concept of peek-a-boo, and will cover his face with a blanket or piece of clothing when we say peek-a-boo, and pull it of his face, showing a big smile! 

Mom: I'm still loving work! It's exhausting, stressful, and overwhelming at times, but it is also extremely gratifying. I still adore my students...and it's been 8 weeks! I can't lie, though, I am very much looking forward to my Fall Break after next week! My newest project is Ethan's first birthday party. We are planning a giraffe themed party. I'm so excited to celebrate Ethan's first year of life, and at the same time, I'm blown away that this yeaer has come and gone. It's true what they say...The days are long, but the years are short.

This is a bootleg copy of a picture from our Pinsky family photo shoot in Cincinnati. It happened to be on Ethan's 11-month birthday, so how could I not post it! I will post more pics when we get the CD!

Happy 10-Month Birthday, Ethan!

Our little sprout is not so little anymore...and he's on the move! This month has proven to be the most exciting yet!

Stats: No doctor's appointment this month, so no official stats. If I had to guess, I'd say that Ethan is around 20 pounds. He doesn't look like he weighs very much, since he's so long, but trust me, I can feel all 20 pounds after holding him for a while.

Likes: Ethan's favorite toy is Tobi {unfortunately for Tobi}. He loves anything that has buttons, regardless of whether it's a toy or not. Our little explorer loves to investigate power cords, cabinet doors, and drawers. Ethan is also starting to open books and turn pages. This list continues to grow. Ethan exploring cause-and-effect relationships. A brand new "like" for Ethan, is pre-school! He loves his teachers and classmates, and comes home exhausted every day. He is transitioning to one nap a day, so that might also have something to do with his tiredness, too. 

Dislikes: As much as I hate to say it, Ethan does not like finger foods. We've tried everything from baked beans to grapes to cheese. He is hit-or-miss with table food, and he will only feed himself Cheerios {we've weaned him off of Puffs - YAY!}.

Tricks: Soon after he turned nine months old, Ethan started crawling. Now, he's one speedy little guy, and he is keeping us on our toes. He also started pulling up on the coffee table, his toys, walls, and pretty much anything he can get his hands on. One of our new favorite tricks is his clapping. He can do it on command {sort of}. If you say "Yay, Ethan", he will almost always start clapping. 

Mom: Although I am exhausted, I'm so glad that I was forced made the choice to go back to work. I love being in the classroom, interacting with students and colleagues, and having a little space of my own...even though I have to share it with 29 fifth graders! Each day, I'm reminded of why I went into teaching. On the flip side, I have so much to do, and not enough time to do it. Juggling mommyhood and teaching is quite a challenge, but I just find that I have less time worry about things, and I am grateful for that. I'm sure things will get easier as we continue to adjust to our new routines.

Happy 9-Month Birthday, Ethan!

It's hard to believe that it's been nine months since my little man was born. It seems like each day brings new changes and developments, and it's exciting to watch him grow.

Stats: We have a doctor's appointment this week, so I promise to post Ethan's stats. He's been quite the eating machine this past week, so I can't wait to see how that translates on the scale.

Likes: This list continues to grow. Ethan exploring cause-and-effect relationships. He throws things on the ground, listening for them to hit the floor, he bangs things together to hear the sound, and he has learned how to push buttons on his toys to make them work and play music. Ethan has also grown quite fond of Tobi. He loves to grab pet Tobi, and thinks he is hilarious, even when he's not doing anything! Ethan has a babysitter, Ali, who stays with him so that I can go to work and prepare my room. He LOVES her, and she is wonderful with him.

Dislikes: Ethan doesn't really have many dislikes. He does show dissatisfaction by throwing little crying fits...we're working on it.

Tricks: His list of tricks has multiplied!! Ethan is "scoot-crawling"...it's not quite scooting, and not quite crawling. He manages to move from Point A to Point B quite efficiently, using this method. Ethan has learned how to get himself into a sitting position, including once he wakes up, which has prompted us lower his mattress. Finally, Ethan can feed himself! He picks up puffs on his own (one at a time, at that), and can get them into his mouth (most of the time). Tobi is always laying in wait by Ethan's high chair, waiting for him to drop Puffs. Unfortunately for Tobi, Ethan's hand-to-mouth coordination continues to improve daily. 

Mom: I didn't think I'd be saying this, but I'm ready to go back to school. The more I've been getting my room ready, the more I realize how big a part of me teaching actually is. I'm still not quite sure how I will juggle everything once I'm back at work, but I'm trying not to worry about that. I think it will just fall into place...eventually!

Happy 8-Month Birthday, Ethan!

Another month flies by, and boy, was it eventful! We've been squeezing as much fun into our days as possible. 

Stats: We didn't have a doctor's appointment, but we weighed him at home. I think my little peanut hit a growth spurt (and I say this because he was quite the fuss-monster, and refused naps), because he now weighs 18 pounds, 3 ounces! 

Likes: Ethan is obsessed with remotes. We've given him an old TV remote, which is one of his new favorite teething toys. Probably the biggest new like is swimming. Our little fish loves splashing around and sticking his head in the water. We recently went to the JCC to play around in the water. He spent an hour in the pool, but probably could have gone longer if I hadn't decided to leave! We also tried the swings at a local park, and really enjoyed flying through the air! We're still attending our Gymboree classes, but now Ethan has his very own three-foot-tall Gymbo the Clown doll! We've tried out a handful of new foods with great success, like mango, and most recently, yogurt!

Dislikes: There are not too many things he dislikes. He is beginning to get frustrated that he can't move, and shows his anger by grunting/growling/screaming. 

Tricks: Ethan likes to lunge for his toys. He can sometimes even get himself onto his tummy, if he lunges hard enough. Ethan can also roll from tummy to back AND back to tummy, but he has to be motivated to do it. During a recent nap time, Ethan rolled onto his tummy three times, and screamed until we got him. That nap was a wash! We went on vacation a few weeks ago, and Ethan slept through the night EVERY NIGHT in his pack-and-play!

Mom: I'm easing myself back into school stuff. My plan is to focus on Ethan when I'm with him during the day, and not break out the school stuff until after he goes to sleep {around 7:30pm - yay!}. I have mixed feelings about going back to work, but I'm starting to get that "teaching bug" back, and have lots of great ideas for when school starts!

A Swingin' Time

Another first...

Happy 7-Month Birthday, Ethan!

OK. This is not funny anymore. Time is just racing by! Seven months have gone by in a flash. At this time last year, I was so looking forward to my summer break from school. Now, I'm willing time to slow down so I can enjoy my last few months of stay-at-home motherhood. 

Stats: No official stats this month. No unofficial stats this month either, for that matter. If I had to guess, I'd say Ethan weighed 16 pounds, 8 ounces, or thereabouts. He's still a very long baby. In fact, at least three people tell me that per day. No joke.

Likes: Gymboree would rank highly on his list of likes. Thanks to their Summer Passport, we go at least two or three times a week. He does Tummy Time there without protest. He has recently discovered his love for balls. We are working on rolling balls back and forth. Ethan is still a huge fan of Sophie the Giraffe. Sometimes in the car, he gets carried away with her, throws her out of his seat, and when he finds she is not coming back, he starts whining and fussing. It took me a few times before I connected the fussing with the strewn aside Sophie. Ethan also likes to play with musical toys, like his Baby Einstein radio. He enjoys controlling all the sounds and tunes.

Dislikes: Fortunately, this list is dwindling. There are very few things I can add to this. In terms of food, anything green (save zucchini) continue to be rejected by Ethan. He does not like being in his car seat unless it is moving, which is kind of a pain. He's outgrown the whole "nap in the car seat" thing, unless he's in the car or the stroller. If he's napping and I take him out, he wakes up within 15 minutes.

Tricks: Ethan is now sitting, unassisted, and he's really good at it, too. He loves sitting amongst his toys, reaching for different things, and putting them in his mouth. Since he is sitting so well, we stopped using the baby bathtub, and have Ethan sitting in the regular tub. It's adorable. He is successfully rolling onto his side from his back, but that's as far as he's gotten. He did manage to roll onto his tummy in the crib at Momma and Pops' house (while his legs were stuck between the bars), which he was not happy about, but we've never actually seen him do it. He is reaching out to be held. He mostly does it for me and Kevin, but he has also reached out for Uncle Yuval! Some new Ethan-approved solids are apricots, peaches, zucchini, and prunes. Most importantly, Ethan is no longer swaddled!! Wahoo! He now sleeps with a larger version of GiGi. The transition went pretty well, although some nights I still think he's transitioning, but we are very fortunate that he did as well as he did.

Mom: I'm making great strides. My anxiety in the morning is slowly diminishing. I'm on my third or fourth (can't remember anymore!) week staying by myself while Kevin is gone, and I'm doing well with it. I've also decided to get back into running. I went to the gym and dropped Ethan off in the babysitting room. We both did well! I've set some goals for myself, and am confident that I can reach them. 

And...We're Up!!

Happy 6-Month Birthday, Ethan!

Phew! This month has been a roller coaster. It was full of ups and downs...but mostly ups! I can't believe it's been half a year since I gave birth to the most precious baby boy. At times, it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital. 

Stats: Ethan just went to the doctor for his 6-month check-up. He was a trooper with the shots, only crying for maybe 5 seconds. No joke. He weighs 16 pounds, 2 ounces, and is 28 inches long. Yes, folks, I said 28. He is in the 90th percentile for height. Sheesh! 

Likes: Wow! I could go on endlessly with this list. I'm tentatively sticking Tummy Time on this list. I wouldn't say he likes it, but he doesn't mind doing it as much. We've even worked up to almost 10 minutes! Ethan likes babbling, but he's recently become obsessed with blowing raspberries, which is cute...except for when he has food in his mouth. While GiGi is still his favorite cuddle buddy, he has discovered the beauty that is Sophie the Giraffe. He has learned how to chew on all her different parts, and has mastered holding her in his mouth. The jumparoo and exersaucer still get a lot of use. Ethan also enjoys sitting in his Bumbo seat and watching me cook and clean in the kitchen. 

Dislikes: Green beans are on this list. I can't say I blame him. When you puree them yourself, they come out a weird texture...even when formula is added. I've even tried mixing them with other loved foods. Oatmeal is not his friend either. He's not quite sure about the texture, and it's given him a gnarly case of diaper rash. 

Tricks: Ethan took a long hiatus from rolling, and just when we were thinking that his two previous rolls were flukes, he did it again! Twice!! We're hopeful that his new tolerance for tummy time will bring more rolling. Ethan is thisclose to sitting on his own. Also, we noticed that Ethan is starting to reach out when he wants to be held my mommy or daddy. Kevin was holding him this morning, and I held my hands out to see if he would come to me, and he reached both his arms towards me, and leaned so I could take him. Finally, Ethan can add eating solids to his list of tricks. So far, he's a huge fan of butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and bananas. 

Mom: Still doing well! Last week, I stayed overnight by myself all three nights that Kevin was gone. It was so empowering, and a huge step for me. One of the things I've enjoyed doing most is making Ethan's baby food. It can sometimes be tedious, but it's so worth it. I know exactly what's going into each container, and that it is fresh and preservative-free. Right now I'm just making simple purees, but am looking forward to making "meals". 

For Your Viewing Pleasure...

Here is a peek at Ethan eating rice cereal. This is Day Four of Rice Cereal Boot Camp, and by far the most successful! He ate his whole serving...and it stayed down! I love how he grabs my hands to try and guide the spoon into his mouth. Adorable!

Rice Cereal Boot Camp

At Ethan's four month doctor's appointment, our pediatrician told us that we could start rice cereal whenever we felt Ethan was ready. We tried it a handful of times, with little to no success. I mean, the stuff looks {and probably tastes} like wallpaper paste. Not too appetizing. Mostly, we just got a kick out of the faces Ethan would make when we stuck the spoon with the rice goo in his mouth. 

Now that he's five months old, I've decided to be a bit more deliberate with the rice cereal. Part of me wants to keep him on just formula...you know, because then he'll stay a baby {hey, it makes sense in my mind}. The other part of me feels like he's ready to give it the old college try. So, he's now in Rice Cereal Boot Camp. We're going to try it every day for a week. If that doesn't work, we're moving on to Baby Oatmeal Boot Camp, which I hear doesn't taste as pasty as rice cereal. 

Here's a picture from Day One. We're going to call this a success, since he actually moved some around in his mouth with his tongue {and fingers}...and it didn't all get spit out! 

Happy 5-Month Birthday, Ethan!

I'm officially at the point where I'm wishing time will slow down so I can enjoy all the wonderful new things Ethan is doing. It seems like each day is full of changes, and I'm loving every one of them, but at the same time, feel like I'm losing a little bit of my cuddly baby!

Stats: While we do not have official stats, I can tell you that when we weighed Ethan a few days ago, he was up to 15lbs, 8oz! He still fits into most of his 3-6 month clothing, but not for long!

Likes: Ethan is still chatting up a storm these days. He likes hearing his own voice, and barely lets you get a word {or shriek} in! He is still obsessed with GiGi, his giraffe blankie, but we've added a new member to the family...Leo, a leopard blankie. Ethan recently got a new exersaucer and he loves exploring all the toys attached to it. He is mastering his jumperoo, as well. The child just loves to be in a standing position where he can move around! Ethan and I joined Gymboree, and have gone to a few classes. He really likes all the fun activities and social time he gets with his new friends. Ethan loves to go on walks in the sunshine with his mommy, too! The fresh air calms him down, and sometimes puts him to sleep. Ethan is {still} being swaddled, but we are leaving his legs and one arm out at naps. While he is not happy about it, he is getting used to it.

Dislikes: Tummy time is still on the list of dislikes. We are working on it, and try to get him to do it a few times a day. He does hold his head up really high, so we know his neck and shoulder muscles are pretty strong! We're also adding rice cereal to the list of dislikes. We've only tried it a few times, but it didn't go over well. Now that he's a big five-month-old, we'll be trying it each night for a week to see how it goes. If he's still anti-rice cereal, we'll move on to oatmeal.

Tricks: Ethan rolled over from tummy to back twice! He was a bit confused about how he ended up on his back when he was just on his tummy, but at least he didn't cry! Ethan has learned to suck his thumb, but as long as he has a finger/hand/pacifier in his mouth, he's happy! His laugh is adorable and infectious, and he's started to giggle more often. A favorite trick of ours, is his new bedtime! He can often be found peacefully snoozing in his crib around 8:45pm...which is lovely!

Mom: I'm doing really well these days. I think the sunshine has helped give me new energy. We are always out and about, which keeps me busy and tires Ethan out! I've been spending a lot of time with other moms, which is also quite nice. I've created a weekly chart to help me plan outings, split up household chores, plan meals, and much more. I find when I stick to my chart, I get a lot accomplished, and I have goals for each day. I've also come to the realization that Ethan will do things in time, when he is ready. Letting go of "timelines" has allowed me to enjoy all the wonderful things he is doing right now.

Happy 4-Month Birthday, Ethan!

I'm beginning to realize that time really does fly when you're having fun. This month has truly been enjoyable, watching {and listening to} Ethan develop and grow. Sometimes I look at him and think, how is he SO big already??? 

Stats: Yesterday, we went to the doctor for our four-month check-up. Ethan "Stretch" Pinsky is 26.75 inches long!!! He's in the 95th percentile on height. I think he has a bright future as a basketball player...maybe for the Hoosiers? He weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces (50th percentile) and his head circumference was 40 centimeters.

Likes: Ethan has become quite the talker. He loves making noises, and even has "conversations" with others. It's absolutely adorable, and he gets a big kick out of it. He still enjoys grabbing things, and now he's actually holding and shaking things, like rattles and dolls. He loves his little giraffe blankie, GiGi. He still enjoys his play gym, but now he likes to grab all the different toys hanging on it. Although we still swaddle Ethan, we've been leaving his legs out, since he still loves to kick them and move himself around.

Dislikes: Ethan still dreads Tummy Time. His doctor told me to lay him on his tummy for 2-3 minutes at a time {or until he starts screaming} several times a day. I know I just have to bite the bullet and do it.

Tricks: Ethan can now blow raspberries. Very cute. He thinks it's hilarious, and will even try to imitate you if you blow raspberries at him. Another trick is sucking on his hands and fingers. He can bring his hands together, and put them in his mouth. Delicious! We've also gotten a few big laughs out of him, which we hope to hear more of in the coming months. Ethan also likes to "pretend walk", while we support him, and he is starting to put a lot of weight on his legs. A lesser loved trick, is pinching. Ouch! Ethan can now sleep up to 10 hours at night...which is our favorite trick!

Mom: We've successfully weaned from breastfeeding. Ethan is enjoying his formula, and has transitioned beautifully. I've found it to be a lot less stressful to go out, because I'm no longer concerned about where or when to feed him. We've been trying to go on outings once a day, which is good for both of us. I recently took Ethan to meet my class, and it was wonderful. I've been thinking about whether or not I actually want to go back to work, but being around the kids made me feel like I need to go back to teaching in August. I'm still seeing a therapist once a week, and am taking my medication. Two nights ago, I actually slept through the night!!

We are trying to enjoy every moment with our little man, because we know he won't be little for very long. At the same time, we can't wait to see him hit all of his new developmental milestones!